Rewinding several hours earlier, after Rose returned to Riverside, she immediately summoned the core members of the Black Rose.
She informed them of the despicable betrayal by the Bounty Guild, stirring up anger in everyone's hearts. She then outlined her revenge plan.
The stated aim was an assault on the Bounty Guild's base, but the real objective was Riverside.
Rose couldn't ensure the loyalty of the guild members, so she chose to keep most of the facts hidden.
After all, when the operation started tonight, those who didn't want to be part of it would have no time to regret.
After arranging the guild's action plan, she also had a private meeting with Samuel Jenkins.
If it wasn't for Ethan, she wouldn't have known that Samuel Jenkins, with his thick eyebrows and innocent-looking eyes, had already pledged loyalty to Ethan.
After a brief meeting, they quickly reached a consensus.
Samuel Jenkins was responsible for seizing control of the city gate, and Rose was tasked with disabling the Riverside Guardian Barrier.
...
With the potion obtained from Ethan, Rose splurged on a limited-edition cake and purchased two bottles of Spirit Tear.
After mixing the potion into the Spirit Tear, she headed towards the Magic Tower.
The Magic Tower, located in the city center, was the nexus of the Riverside Guardian Barrier - the heart of the city.
Upon reaching the guards who were tasked with security, Rose asked, "Is Lady Anna currently in the Magic Tower? I wonder if she's available. I'd like to meet her."
Being one of the leaders of the three major Hero guilds, the guard was no stranger to Rose.
After ogling at Rose's enchanting figure, he finally replied, "Lady Anna is usually in the Magic Tower if she has nothing else on her plate. I can pass the message if you wish to see her, but whether she's willing to meet, I can't say."
"Thank you," Rose replied.
Pleased with Rose's attitude, the guard scurried into the Magic Tower.
About a quarter of an hour later, he came out with a smile on his face.
"Miss Rose, you're in luck. Lady Anna is currently having a siesta, and she said she's free to meet you. Follow me."
"Thanks for leading the way." Rose thanked the guard with a smile and followed him into the Magic Tower.
The moment she stepped into the Magic Tower, Rose's relaxed demeanor tightened.
The surge of magic inside was overwhelming, like someone abruptly plunged into water.
This feeling of being enveloped by magic made Rose, as an assassin, extremely uncomfortable.
If it was a spellcaster who came here, they might get so excited they could faint.
The guard saw Rose's restraint, a common reaction for those visiting the Magic Tower for the first time, and reassured her, "Don't worry, Miss Rose. With your strength, this discomfort is called 'Magic Drunk', similar to being tipsy. You'll get used to it soon."
"Too bad you're not a spellcaster, Miss Rose. Otherwise, you could reap many benefits in this Magic Tower, the holy place for every mage in Riverside. The tower cost millions of gold coins to build." The guard was full of pride and a hint of showoff.
Taking Rose up the spiral staircase to the top floor, they stopped in front of a large door adorned with various magic runes. "Lady Anna is inside. Just knock and go in."
"Thank you." Rose nodded at the guard, took out the prepared snacks, and knocked on the door.
"Come in," came a languid female voice from inside.
Rose nodded, pushed open the door, and stepped in.
The room was extremely classical, with a huge plush carpet on the floor and a faint fragrance in the air.
In the center of the room was an absurdly oversized chaise lounge, on which a beautiful woman with radiant golden hair, dressed in silk pajamas, lounged lazily.
She seemed to be wearing only this thin sleepwear, revealing a large expanse of white skin and enticing pink hues.
Her astonishingly proportioned long legs rested on the armrest of the lounge, swinging back and forth.
Between them, Rose could even spot a golden forest.
The lady Anna, it appeared, wore nothing beneath...
"Lady Anna, hello. I am the guild leader of the Black Rose, Rose," Rose introduced herself.
"Hmm, I've heard of you from the city lord," Anna nodded and waved Rose over to sit by her side.
Rose nodded and, although a bit uncomfortable, sat down next to Anna.
However, as soon as she sat down, Anna leaned over affectionately, her arm winding around Rose's waist.
Her other hand daringly slipped inside Rose's blouse, grasping and gently kneading a mound of fullness at her chest.
Rose was taken aback and her first instinct was to slap the audacious woman.
However, remembering Ethan's mission, she gritted her teeth and tolerated the intrusion.
"You're so soft, so comfortable... I knew it from the first time I laid my eyes on you, Rose. You are a rare gem," Anna whispered into Rose's ear, lightly biting her earlobe.
"And I also noticed something else at first glance... you're just like me, a wanton woman."
Anna promptly shed her sleepwear, revealing a pair of enormous breasts.
Rose's chest was already classified as busty, but compared to Anna's, they still fell short.
"Here, feel mine," Anna took Rose's hand and placed it on her own chest.
Despite her reluctance, Rose had to admit... the touch was quite good.
Rose was a bit speechless at the moment.
When she first came to Riverside, many NPCs and Heroes tried to take advantage of her in various ways, but none had succeeded.
But today, she fell prey to a female predator.
Once all this is over, I'm going to make Ethan pay dearly, she thought.
Rose managed to steel herself, trying to suppress her discomfort at Anna's wandering hands.
Their intimacy escalated quickly, and just when Anna was about to take it a step further, Rose timely said, "Let's not rush things. I've admired you for a long time, Anna. In order to pay you a visit today, I bought some pastries."
"Won't you have a taste?"
Rose smiled and opened the box she had brought, taking out a cake.
"Since it's a kind gesture from you, Rose, I certainly won't refuse." Anna answered with a smile, picking up a small piece of the cake with her finger and savoring it.
"Mmm, it's delicious." Her eyes lit up at the taste.
It had been a long time since she had tasted such a delightful cake.
The two quickly finished off the cake, and Rose naturally brought out two bottles of Spirit Tear, opening one and handing it to Anna.
Without much thought, Anna drank it in one gulp.
Seeing this, Rose felt as if a weight had been lifted from her heart, a cold smile dancing in her eyes.
"Now, sweet heart, let's continue where we left off." Anna winked at Rose, reaching out once more to grope Rose.
But this time, Rose wasn't having any of it.
"Smack!"
A resounding slap echoed in the room as Rose swung her hand, leaving a large red imprint on Anna's face.
Stunned, Anna asked in a daze, "What's the meaning of this, Rose? Do you enjoy this kind of play? But I don't really..."
As she tried to lean over again, Rose delivered another slap, this time on Anna's other cheek, turning it a matching shade of red.
"What are you trying to do, Rose?" Anna's voice instantly turned a bit angry.
Unabashed, Rose retorted, "You damned harlot, don't touch me with your filthy hands."
"What did you say?" Anna, furious, sprang to her feet, a terrifying wave of magical energy immediately radiating from her body.
B+? No…A-rank.
Rose's heart lurched.
Outside the Magic Tower, Anna's power was on par with hers.
But with the support of the Magic Tower, Anna's power was now oppressively stronger.